The Transit of Venus 2012

[Candlelight]

Starts in a couple of minutes. Got fairly good skies and from where I am should see the entire thing. Gonna head down to the local observatory in a couple of hours to try and catch a glimpse through the (modified) telescopes, and maybe sneak a photo of it.

 

[NCC-1701-B]

I'm quite annoyed, over here in the UK, it's been brilliantly clear all weekend, and now tonight, the first night in ages that it's cloudy. How bloody typical. But with sunrise the sun might break through, so It might be worth a walk with the telescope.

 

[MacLeod]

I believe the forecast for tomorrow when the last hour or so of it is visible in the UK si overcast.

It seems as if every time their is a celestial event we get overcast/rain etc..

 

[Candlelight]

Through a telescope using my iPhone. The image is inverted; Venus is passing across the bottom of the sun.

Projected onto a piece of paper.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Saw it with my 5" Dob. Nice sharp image. We kept having to wait for suckerholes, and in the end it rained, but I saw it.

 

[Amaris]

For those of you who (and by you, I mean us) can't see with a telescope or anything like that, you can go here, SLOOH Space Cam, and watch it live as well. You can also view it from different telescopes around the world, so check it out if you want to see this once in a lifetime event.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I have now seen it.

 

[thestrangequark]

Some astronomers form Columbia University set up a viewing site at Union Square Park (in Manhattan) today, with telescopes with solar filters and everything. My friend and I went, and I was there from 5:30 to 8. The sun was doing a dance of the seven veils with the clouds, though -- it kept seducing us all into thinking it was going to clear up, but it never did. We didn't see it, but it was fun to hang out with a bunch of random people brought together by their interest in astronomy.

 

[Kestra]

I'm bummed because Ames Research Center was doing a viewing and they had solar filters and telescopes, but I wasn't able to make it over there.

 

[RevDMV]

I'm in Albany NY on business, and didn't see the sun through the clouds. But my wife and boys took this photo through my son's telescope in the backyard in the Bay Area.

 

[auntiehill]

*waves at Venus*


*goes back in house*

 

[Skywalker]

I didn't have the equipment to view it, alas. But all the pictures I've seen are awesome.

Oh well, guess I'll just have to catch it next time...

 

[MacLeod]

Isn't that in something like 2117 though if you iss that one you'll only have to wait to 2125 to see the next one.

 

[Mary Ann]

Thank you once again, British weather, for spoiling my astronomical fun. I got up early on a holiday morning for nothing, so thanks to all of you who shared your own photos.

 

[MacLeod]

^Come on you must have known that would happen. 99% of the time there is a celestial event visible in Britian it'll be overcast. Sure the days either side will no doubt be glourious blue skies, crisp clear nights etc..

 

[Mary Ann]

You're right, of course. As it happens, the rain has stopped and patches of blue sky are appearing. A bit late, but never mind.

 

[Retu]

Managed to see it with my portable solar observatory: welding glass and pocket telescope.

 

[thestrangequark]

I didn't have the equipment to view it, alas. But all the pictures I've seen are awesome.

Oh well, guess I'll just have to catch it next time...

Since the weather sucked in NYC, that's my plan too. Now I have to work on how to live to be 134 years old. I'll get back to you guys when I've figured it out!

 

[Spot's Meow]

I saw it using my solar viewing glasses that I kept from the recent solar eclipse. Venus was so tiny!

I was determined to see it after reading about Jean-Baptiste Chappe d'Auteroche traveling all the way to Baja California to see it in 1769. Many scientists traveled to locations around the globe to take measurements on the event, so that they could more precisely calculate how far earth was from the sun. He ran into many mishaps on his journey and arrived with little time to spare, so he had to quickly set up his equipment at a Jesuit mission infected with typhus. Just after he finished recording his measurements he died from the illness, and his assistant had to bring his notes back to France.

So, I figured, if he literally died to see this event, I might as well put on some shoes and walk out my front door for a few minutes.